BASIC Curricula
Teaching code in schools
BASIC curricula in schools introduced millions of students to programming concepts through hands-on coding on classroom computers.
Overview
When schools acquired computers, they needed curricula to teach programming. BASIC became the standard first language—its simplicity and interactivity suited classroom use. Teachers developed progressions from PRINT statements through loops to graphics. Some students went on to careers; all gained understanding of how computers worked.
Fast facts
- Language: BASIC variants.
- Setting: school computer labs.
- Era: 1980s-1990s peak.
- Approach: interactive, immediate feedback.
- Progression: simple output → variables → loops → graphics.
Typical progression
How BASIC was taught:
- Week 1: PRINT, simple output.
- Early: Variables, INPUT.
- Mid: FOR loops, GOTO.
- Later: Graphics, sound.
- Advanced: Subroutines, larger programs.
Educational value
What students learned:
- Logical thinking: sequencing instructions.
- Debugging: finding and fixing errors.
- Abstraction: variables representing values.
- Problem-solving: breaking tasks into steps.